CHOOSING A PARKA

Will
the Parka be used for Adventure or Expedition Travel?

Will
the Parka be used in Extreme Cold Conditions?

Will
the Parka be used at altitude?

Will
the Parka be used over 8000M?

KEEPING WARM

The main principle of
cold-weather dressing is to trap layers of warm air near your body. Air
held in place by tiny fibers, is the only effective body insulator. The
greater the trapped 'dead air space' the greater the garment insulation
properties.Many
thin layers are often better than a single thick one. Also the whole body
should be covered evenly. A goose down parka will not keep you warm in sub-zero
conditions if you are wearing jeans.

Vigorous
activity requires undergarments that wick perspiration away from the skin
so it can evaporate without leaving a clammy, cold feeling. Depending
on conditions, layers can be built up including thermal leggings and tops,
fleeces, goose down or synthetic insulated parka and pants and finally
the outermost
layer should be windproof to keep cold air out. It should also have adjustable
fastenings to close off the waist, sleeves, and the face of a parka hood.

The
head is a major areas of heat loss, so a thick, warm hat and scarf or
a thick parka hood are essential. Where different items of clothing meet
at ankles and wrists, prevent bare spots by interleaving the layers.

The
extremities,fingers, ears, toes, and nose freeze first. Good heavily insulated
footgear is crucial. Boots should have an insulated bottom liner and allow
you to wear heavy wool socks over your regular socks without any feeling
of tightness. Circulation to hands and feet must be kept completely free;
anything that feels tight will soon feel frozen. Protecting fingers is
difficult as they are in constant use. Layers again work with silk gloves
inside thin skier's gloves inside loose, more heavily insulated mittens.
A ski mask with
holes for your eyes and mouth protects the face, In extreme conditions
a down mask can be worn.

Will
the Parka be used for Casual use?

Will
the Parka be used for Sports Activities such as Trekking / skiing?

Will
the Parka be used in Alpine Conditions?

Will
the Parka be used in Polar Regions?

Will
the Parka be used over 6000M?

Is
style & Fashion Important?

Will
the Parka be used for several seasons?

Will
the Parka be used in Wet Conditions?

Will
the Parka be used for long distance Trekking?

Will
the parka be used at Basecamp?

Will
the Parka have to adapt to climatic changes?

Is
cost a Factor?

Will
the parka need extra durability for hauling loads?

Will
the Parka also be used for casual wear?

Parkas
constitute one of the most basic survival elements for the extreme outdoors.
They bear the brunt of the weather and wear, keeping you warm, dry and safe
from hypothermia. A
good fit is crucial to the parka's ability to protect you from the elements.
If the fit is too tight, you will compress the fill and loose the insulating
benefits. If it is too loose, the heat loss will be very rapid, again loosing
the insulating qualities you seek. A good fit requires proper wind seals
occur at the neck, hood, sleeves and waist. The sleeves should extend over
the wrist to trap the warmth. Pay close attention to the way a parka fits
around the neck. Wind reaching the bare neck and chill you quickly. A good
parka will have a tunnel collar that seals the neck area, and a hood that
attaches below the collar with a drawcord that pulls it close around the
face.

Look for a durable
external shell that will resist snags and protect you against the wind.
This should be followed by an internal breathable lamination of Gore-Tex
or similar. Next comes the insulating layer. As with sleeping bags, there
are two types of basic insulation. Down is a natural fiber with excellent
insulating qualities. Unfortunately, it looses most of its insulating
qualities if it gets wet. Synthetics can insulate almost as well as down
but will retain approximately 85% of their insulating ability when wet.
The most popular synthetics today are Thinsulate, Primaloft and Quallofil.
There should be an internal liner of either nylon or cotton.

Where weight is not
a consideration, a parka should have plenty of pockets, including cargo/handwarmer
pockets large enough to fit a hand wearing gloves or mitts. The Inuit
have known for centuries that nothing beats a fur ruff to protect the
face from wind and blown snow. There are many types of synthetic fur available
but unfortunately only real fur will stop ice sticking to the ruff.
A well-designed ruff will create a hot-air pocket in front of your face,
and even if you walk against the wind, it will keep your face comfy warm.
Condensation forms on the fur, but shake it, and the ice will fall right
off. Look closely at the clothes of polar adventurers they almost always
have a fur ruff on their parkas. they are nuts. Sadly enough popular
sentiment seems to keep companies from producing good modern parkas with
decent fur ruffs. So far the only good parkas are those produced in Canada.
The only problem is that they are very bulky, and heavy, hardly apppropriate
for winter trekking.

WINDCHILL TABLE - (Clothing Type v Temperature)

Wind
Speed (MPH)

50F

40F

30F

20F

10F

0F

-10F

-20F

-30F

-40F

-50F

-60F

Calm

50

40

30

20

10

0

-10

-20

-30

-40

-50

-60

5

48

37

27

16

6

-5

-15

-26

-36

-47

-57

-68

10

40

28

16

4

-9

-21

-33

-46

-58

-70

-83

-95

15

36

22

9

-5

-18

-36

-45

-58

-72

-85

-99

-112

20

32

18

4

-10

-25

-39

-53

-67

-82

-96

-110

-121

25

30

16

0

-15

-29

-44

-59

-74

-88

-104

-118

-133

30

28

13

-2

-18

-33

-48

-63

-79

-94

-109

-125

-140

35

27

11

-4

-20

-35

-49

-67

-82

-98

-113

-129

-145

40

26

10

-6

-21

-37

-53

-69

-85

-100

-116

-132

-148

COLOUR
CODE

Fashion
coat or parka - insulated or shell with fleece inner

Skiwear or similar quality, synthetic or down insulated parka

Quality Insulated
parka / pants goosedown, thinsulate,primaloft

Extreme Cold weather gear 600+ fill parka/pants

Expedition Down 750+ fill onepiece suit or parka/pants

No
clothing suitable for more than a few hours survilability in the open

Mountaineering Clothing
list - If you plan on climbing the Himilayas here's an outline list of
clothing you will need for your climb.

Technical Clothing
Expedition weight underwear, Lightweight Underwear. 2-3 pair top & bottom, synthetic or wool. No
Cotton, Zip-T-neck tops allow more ventilation options. One set of white for intense sunny days on the glacier and one pair of dark for faster drying gives the most versatility.
Fleece Jacket. Heavyweight pile (Polartec 300). A full-zip version is
easier to put on and has better ventilation than a pull-over, Fleece Pants. Heavyweight pile (Polartec 300) with full separating side zippers (This is very important for ventilation
and for ease of dressing up or down when conditions change in the middle
of a climb). Down Pants.
To fit over insulation layers. Outer shell must be windproof. Down Parka. (Fully Baffled, Expedition Weight, must have good hood) Suggested Option - Down onepiece suit.
Shell Pants & Shell Jacket with hood. (Bibs recommended) For the jacket
we highly recommend a long front zipper, a roomy rather than snug fit
and underarm zips which go well below the armpit. We also require full
separating side zippers on the pants. Mitts & Gloves * 2 Pair Synthetic Gloves. Fleece
gloves which will fit comfortably inside mitts. A heavier fleece will
do a better job of keeping hands warmer when wet than lighter polypropylene
. 2 Pair Pile Mitts and
Gore-Tex Overmitts. Headgear * Baseball Cap or other Sun Hat. One
with a good visor to shade the nose and eyes. Include a bandanna to shade
the neck. * Wool or pile ski hat. Make sure ears are covered. * Balaclava
(1) Heavy weight, (1) Lightweight. Heavyweight
must fit over lightweight. * Neoprene face mask. Optional *

Antarctic Clothing
list - clothing for polar regions is different to mountaineering due to
usage and duration or wear.

3 pairs of boots.
ECW quality Mucklucs. Clumpy to walk in but good for very low temperatures
and if you want to guarantee warm feet in most situations.The
boots come with liners that look like oven mitts for feet. The soles are
very rigid and are designed to be fitted with crampons if required.Sorrels
are steel capped boots and also have a sheep skin or a heavy cotton type
liner. These boots are good for temperatures down to about -30 deg C.Normal work boots are
for walking around inside the base while working. They are normal slip
on boots with steel caps and rubber soles.

Gloves Rrubbery
thermal insulated glove for use with fuels. If you get oil or fuel onto
normal glove it transfers the heat away from you skin and you quickly
freeze. These gloves are good but in cold conditions like -45 deg C the
rubber in the gloves goes hard and makes them unusable. Poly prop gloves
make very good glove inners when combined with other gloves. There are
also fleece gloves made from a heavier version of polyprop material. Over-mitts
provide not only a windproof outer but also a thermal barrier for most
conditions. Normally used as part of a glove combination when you the
weather turns colder. Leather work gloves with a thermal insulation on
the inside. Heavy over-mitts for use on skidoo travel or extreme cold
weather where your hands may be exposed for long periods of time. Very
warm, but very bulky and no good for doing anything other than keeping
your hands warm..

Hats, Neck Gaiters.
Woolen belaclava, ok in mild conditions but is no good if the wind gets
too strong. Fur-lined hats. They are very warm comfortable in the -35
to -50 degree temperatures. Neck Gaiters are often used instead of scarves
because they are smaller and provide a high degree of insulation against
the cold and wind.

Parkas. Are made
from a very windproof material with the ability to take moisture away
from the body. The entire garment is down filled providing incredible
warmth. 2 way heavy-duty zipper closure with storm flap, multiple pockets
with Velcro flaps and side entry hand warmer pockets. Tunnel hood with
detachable fur ruff. Hood wire to shape hood around your face. Nylon cummerbund
with Velcro closure. Hidden storm cuffs on sleeves. Abrasive resistant
armor trim cuffs. Drawcord at waist to help keep warmth in.

Leggings are made
similar to the parkas. Insulated and windproof, they provide protection
around your legs and middle body as they are shaped like bib overalls
with zips down the front and down the sides.

Windproof jackets
and leggings, without all the heavy insulating qualities. These are used
in the summer for moderate conditions.

The Bunny suit: A
one piece overall that has thermal insulation all through it. They have
zips up the side of the legs and a zip down the front so they are easy
to get in and out of with boots and other clothing.